


Wild West/Steampunk

by jairyn



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Snips - Freeform, Star Wars - Freeform, Steampunk, Wild West, skyguy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-11 02:37:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15305562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jairyn/pseuds/jairyn
Summary: Notorious criminal, Cad Bane stumbled across a small little Wild West town with a big secret. After challenging the town’s deputy, Ahsoka Tano, to a duel, he’s surprised to find that an old legend might actually be true.





	Wild West/Steampunk

             Bane sized up his unlikely dueling partner. She wore a blue and white patterned scarf wrapped around her head like a bandana. She had a white high neck blouse, long brown trousers and a leather belt slung across her hips like an X. It had a small pouch on one side and a short straight stick or something clipped to the other side. She was petite and childlike, she didn’t look like much of a challenge.

               "Where’s your blaster, little lady?“ Bane teased.

               "I don’t need one,” Ahsoka replied with a challenge in her tone.

               Bane’s bluish fingers twitched over his blaster where it sat ready in the holster. Rolling his eyes, but tensing in battle readiness, he chuckled to himself about how easy this duel would be. “Security in this slum must have slipped if the sheriff truly believes a child can protect it,” he taunted, ready to end it… but not without poking a little fun first. A crowd started to gather around the edges of the street. Oh great, witnesses. Well, at least they’ll be easier to control when they see how quickly he can take down their deputy.

               Unable to stand it any longer, his hands flew to his blaster and fired off two quick shots. But in half the time, she’d pulled that weird weapon from her belt and ignited the now flaming green, stick. She’d easily deflected the blaster bolts off swung the weapon around flipped and clipped it back to her belt and before he could react, sent him flying backwards without even touching him. 

               He felt his back slam against some hard wood and could only sit there as this loud crack caused the gathered crowd to gasp. He looked up in a daze, unable to fully comprehend the now precarious water tower container as it began to tip and fall towards him. He managed to put his arms up to protect his head, not that he thought it would do much good at this point. But nothing ever hit him.

               After a few minutes, he braved a glance upwards only to drop his jaw. The huge barrel was somehow floating backwards up to the top as the tower seemed to repair itself. 

               "Deputy ‘Soka…“ drawled the voice of Anakin Skywalker. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop knocking scum into the water tower? The town depends on this damn thing and one of these days, you’re going to destroy it.”

               "Sorry sheriff. I keep forgetting to switch sides,“ Ahsoka replied stifling a laugh.

               "Just get over here and help me.”

               Bane watched in surprise as the deputy and sheriff repaired the water tower just by holding their hands up and concentrating. He got up and stumbled backwards hoping to disappear before they were done. He didn’t want nothing to do with this crazy witchcraft. 

               "Not so fast,“ another voice chimed in as a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. He reached for his blaster, only to watch it fly across the way. What was going on here? 

               "We’ll take him from here, Obi. Thanks,” Sheriff Skywalker said to the bartender of the saloon as he dragged Bane to his feet and cuffed him. 

               The Sheriff and the Deputy led him across the dusty streets to the jail. 

               "Think you can handle keeping an eye on him?“ the sheriff asked Ahsoka with the slightest hint of a smile. "I’m going to go get a well-deserved drink.”

               "And a pick me up…“ Ahsoka mumbled under her breath.

               "What was that, Snips?” Anakin asked turning back to her from the doorway.

               "I said I got it covered, Skyguy.“ She raised her right hand in a mock salute. And grinned when the door closed behind him.

               "What the hell happened out there?” Bane demanded, unable to stand it any longer. Ahsoka just sat down on the desk with one leg up on the wooden chair and pulled her flame stick off her belt and ran her fingers up the side. 

               "Whaddaya mean, partner?“ she asked innocently. 

               "And what in the blazes is that thing?” Bane could see the hilt of her weapon more clearly now. It was a bronze colored metal, not wood as he’d first thought. There were straps of leather cris-crossing around it in some kind of pattern. It seemed to have gears and buttons and other do-dads, but he couldn’t make sense of how it worked, nor how it could’ve kept a steady stream of green flame. 

               "This?“ She held up the tool she was fiddling with, reverently, he noted. "It’s called a lightsaber." 

               "How does it work?” he asked getting more and more curious, but also nervous. 

               Ahsoka flipped a switch on the hilt and the green flame sprung to life again. She stepped towards the bars and Bane subconsciously stepped backwards. In such close quarters, the heat from it was intense. The green light cast grotesque shadows around the room as he watched her push the desk off to the side without touching it. In the middle of the room, she swung it around and with great concentration seemed to step through various sword fighting stances. Some he recognized, many he didn’t. He’d always preferred a blaster to swords, but a sword like that? He had a hunch it would win against any blaster no matter how much power it held. His spine tingled as she came out of the trance like state and looked at him, danger flashing across her features. He retreated to the far wall of the cell. “Let me see your hat,” she whispered. When he failed to produce it for her, she pulled it to her with the same witchcraft he’d seen her and the sheriff use earlier. She winked at him and then sliced a triangular piece out of the brim of the big leather hat. Then she turned off her weapon, clipped it to her belt and tossed the black hat back through the bars of the cell. “Something to remember us by,” she said with a laugh. Bane could only stare at the orange edges of the hat where the weapon had sliced it as precisely as a knife. Fire didn’t work like that. He shivered uncontrollably.

               "What are you?“ he stammered finally as he looked up at this… this  _child_ … who could apparently slice him in half. She resumed her previous position on the desk now just farther away.

               "Ever heard of the Jedi?” He sat down on the bunk unable to hide his fear now. Jedi? Impossible! They were a myth! A stupid fairy tale told by natives to scare outlanders from coming onto their land.

—

               Anakin pushed open the double doors to the Saloon with a smirk. He was sure Ahsoka was back there scaring the life out of the latest scum to wander into their territory. Seeing the surprise on scoundrel after scoundrel as they underestimated his little deputy never got old. In fact, that’s the main reason he never met them face to face until her fireworks show was over. His old friend, Obi, warned him not to get too cocky. He may have trained her well, but just like they underestimate her because they don’t know her true powers, she could someday underestimate them because they do. 

               He shook the thought from his head and sat at the bar nodding to his old friend. They’d deal with that  _if_  it ever happened. But for now, he didn’t want to give Obi the pleasure of seeing his worry for her. He knew how skilled and capable she was. Her fearlessness matched his own. But he also knew how devious the scoundrels and smugglers could be… that’s why he was never far away when she decided to play. The majority of the time he spent just mopping up the mess she made. Today had to be what? The 14th time he’s had to fix the water tower just this month? Might be time to look into moving it. Although he had a feeling she’d hit it somehow no matter where it was. He shrugged it off as Obi presented a shot of whiskey in front of him. 

               "Another grand display by your deputy, sheriff. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the two of you enjoy this way too much.“ Sarcasm dripped from Obi’s words.

               "You know us,” Skywalker quipped as he raised his glass and tipped back the drink. 

               "I do indeed.“ Obi rolled his eyes. "But if I’m not mistaken, that was the notorious Cad Bane, scoundrel of the seven seas. She may have had the upper hand this time, but he’s a slippery devil, and likely, you won’t have him for long.”

               "Don’t you worry, friend. We’ve got the best jail in the west. He’s going nowhere.“

               "I hope you’re right, Anakin. But it wasn’t the jail I was calling weak.”

               "You think Ahsoka can’t handle him? Even after what just happened a few minutes ago?“ Anakin replied indignant. Obi may have been his mentor, but he could never understand why he was so critical of Ahsoka. He’d been the one that wanted him to take on an apprentice, but yet, always seemed to imply that he wasn’t a good enough teacher. Ahsoka was a little rough around the edges and naïve, but she was strong and fearless and learned quickly. He’d thought teaching would be a drag, but watching how fast she could pick things up… he depended on her cunning whenever they got into tight situations. He didn’t like anybody knowing just how much she meant to him and to the success of their missions, least of all Obi Wan. 

               Obi wan was a Jedi Master too, but you’d never know it. He contented himself with the mundane. He didn’t enjoy the adventure and wildness that the west offered him. He often claimed the saloon was crazy enough. Yeah, with the occasional drunkard that had to sleep it off in a jail cell. Anakin rolled his eyes and knocked back the second shot Obi had placed in front of him.

               "I know you’re fond of her, Anakin, but don’t let your pride blind you to the fact that she’s still young and capable of making costly mistakes.” Obi moved down the bar to service another patron before he could respond. He slammed the shot glass down on the table with half a mind to make a scene, just to get back at him. But before he could move, something bumped his leg. He looked down and smiled.

               "Hey buddy,“ he said patting the R2 unit that helped service the Saloon. It beeped back at him excitedly. Artoo was by far his favorite droid. It was a modified whiskey barrel with gold trimming and a domed top that could spin around. He rolled around the bar dropping off drinks and picking up empty glasses with bronze extremities that acted like arms, but could hide away when not in use. He smiled as he watched it get back to work. He stood there for a moment, watching the bustle of the saloon. He liked it here, but sometimes he craved more. Sometimes he wished he could just mount his horse and chase the horizon.


End file.
